I was shocked when I found out that one in seven girls in developing countries marries before she’s 15 years old. (1) We can help end the cycle of child brides by helping these girls find other means of supporting themselves and their families.

What we do…

We are a female-run business that values opportunities to promote other women who are making a difference in their communities and in their own lives. Inspired and motivated by the idea of helping young impoverished girls specifically, we sought to connect with an organization whose mission we can really stand behind. BRAC‘s UN-funded ELA program is dedicated to empowering poor young women. They believing that with the right tools, women can play a crucial role in bringing about changes within their families and their communities. We support this approach of empowerment – helping women to help themselves.

$5 from each piece of jewelry you purchase, gives impoverished girls access to education and micro-loans to start their own businesses, giving them the tools to bring change to their communities and to themselves. You can also provide words of encouragement by sending a letter or email (letters@catherinenicole.com) to our Letters for Young Leaders campaign.

Did you know…

As the largest implementer of the Girl Effect programs, BRAC has seen evidence of the value that adolescent girls bring to the table when they are given access to education, livelihood training, financial literacy training and life skills development.

– When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children. (2)

– When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 % of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 % for a man. (3)

Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents (ELA)

BRAC’s ELA program has improved the lives of over 25,000 young women in Bangladesh, Tanzania and Uganda to date. ELA promotes co-curricular activities and life skills training for girls ages 13-22 that are crucial for the comprehensive development of youth. ELA members who are 16 and older are given the opportunity to chose an area of specialization – agriculture, poultry, tailoring, hairdressing, or trading. BRAC provides them with financial literacy training, including saving, budgeting, negotiating, basic accounting and customer care. Following this training, microloans are provided for those girls ready to start a business.

Letters to Young Leaders

SEND A NOTE! (Ex: "Hi girls, I’m Catherine, and I have my own jewelry business in Texas, USA. I'm happy you have a place to learn and be with other strong women like yourself. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Catherine"